October 5, 2017

In addition to paying attention to how your teeth and gums feel this Halloween season, we recommend that you also pay attention to how your jaw feels before, during, and after eating candy. If you have jaw pain, there’s a chance you have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD), which is something we’d be more than happy to help you with. Here, we’d like to take a moment to provide you with a quick guide on TMJ disorders and how certain types of candy can trigger them.

When Sweet Becomes Sour

Specifically, it’s the sugar in candy that can make your jaw hurt. Rather than sugar causing a TMJ disorder, sugar can help cement the realization that you have a TMJ disorder. This is because sugar can lead to inflammation, something that can aggravate the existing pain in your jaw. Sugary candy can also lead to a headache, and many individuals who have a joint disorder find that their headaches are linked to their disorder.

If you opt for candy with extra sugar, your salivary glands might become overly stimulated. If this happens, there’s a chance your disorder could flare up since your salivary glands are positioned close to your jaw. Finally, the overall texture of candy can irritate anyone’s jaw, not just those with a TMJ disorder.

Treatment Options

Know that you don’t have to live with jaw pain or discomfort. We have a number of treatment options, such as:

  • Jaw joint replacement surgery
  • Bite adjustment
  • Cortisone shots to address swelling
  • Exercises to relax your jaw
  • Splints

You’ll have a personalized treatment plan so you can enjoy the best results and a better quality of life.

Call Us

Find out what candy you and your jaw can enjoy this Halloween by contacting us today. We look forward to helping you improve your oral health.

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